Double V-shaped endless track drive system

Abstract

An endless drive track for use on a track vehicle such as a bulldozer includes a plurality of polymeric endless track drive members, each drive member including a first lateral frictional drive face sloping inwardly with respect to a transverse direction of the endless drive track at a first angle with respect to horizontal and a second lateral frictional drive face sloping inwardly with respect to the transverse direction of the endless drive track at a second angle with respect to horizontal, and a reinforcement member for connecting the drive members to one another to form an endless track. Each drive member of the endless track preferably includes first and second lateral frictional drive faces sloping inwardly toward one another at the first angle with respect to horizontal and third and fourth lateral frictional drive faces, above the first and second drive faces, sloping inwardly toward one another at the second angle with respect to horizontal, the second angle being greater than the first angle. The endless drive track preferably is utilized with a drive wheel which has drive surfaces sloped and shaped to match the lateral frictional drive faces of the drive members.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An endless drive track comprising: a plurality of endless track drive members each having at least one lateral side, said lateral side including first and second lateral frictional drive faces which intersect one another at an obtuse angle; and   means for connecting said drive members to one another to form said endless drive track.   
     
     
       2. The endless drive track of claim 1, said first lateral frictional drive face being positioned below said second lateral frictional drive face when said each drive member is in contact with the ground. 
     
     
       3. The endless drive track of claim 1, said plurality of drive members being integrally interconnected in a closed loop to form said endless drive track, and said connecting means comprising at least one continuous reinforcement member encased within and further interconnecting said plurality of drive members. 
     
     
       4. The endless drive track of claim 1, further comprising at least one master link joining adjacent ends of said plurality of drive members to form said endless drive track. 
     
     
       5. The endless drive track of claim 4, said connecting means comprising at least one reinforcement member wound around at least one retaining rod between said adjacent ends of said plurality of drive members, said at least one retaining rod corresponding to and being retained between cooperating recesses in upper and lower parts of said master link. 
     
     
       6. The endless drive track of claim 4, said connecting means comprising at least one reinforcement member having at least two ends retained by said at least one master link to form said endless drive track. 
     
     
       7. The endless drive track of claim 6, said at least two ends of said reinforcement member including retaining members corresponding to and being retained between cooperating recesses in upper and lower parts of said master link. 
     
     
       8. The endless drive track of claim 1, further comprising at least one tread member fixed to said plurality of drive members and extending in a direction opposite from said lateral frictional drive faces. 
     
     
       9. The endless drive track of claim 1, each said drive member further comprising a base portion and support structure extending from said base portion. 
     
     
       10. The endless drive track of claim 9, said support structure comprising a strap fixing said connecting means to said base portion. 
     
     
       11. An endless drive track comprising: a substantially continuous first lateral frictional drive face on a lateral side of said endless drive track; and   a plurality of endless track drive members integrally interconnected with said first lateral frictional drive face and located above said first lateral frictional drive face when said endless drive track is in contact with the ground, each said drive member including a second lateral frictional drive face on said lateral side of said endless drive track, said second lateral frictional drive face intersecting with said first lateral frictional drive face at an obtuse angle.   
     
     
       12. The endless drive track of claim 11, further comprising means for increasing the flexibility of said endless drive track. 
     
     
       13. The endless drive track of claim 12, said flexibility increasing means comprising grooves formed between said drive members and through an upper portion of said first lateral frictional drive face. 
     
     
       14. An endless drive track comprising: a plurality of polymeric endless track drive members each having at least two lateral sides, a first lateral side of each said drive member including first and third lateral frictional drive faces which intersect one another at a first obtuse angle, and a second lateral side of each said drive member including second and fourth lateral frictional drive faces which intersect one another at a second obtuse angle; and   means for connecting said drive members to one another to form said endless drive track.   
     
     
       15. The endless drive track of claim 14, said first and second lateral frictional drive faces being positioned below said third and fourth lateral frictional drive faces when said each drive member is in contact with the ground. 
     
     
       16. The endless drive track of claim 15, said second obtuse angle being equal to said first obtuse angle. 
     
     
       17. The endless drive track of claim 14, each said drive member further including an upper drive face between said third and fourth lateral frictional drive faces. 
     
     
       18. An endless drive track comprising: first and second substantially continuous lateral frictional drive faces on first and second lateral sides of said endless drive track, respectively; and   a plurality of polymeric endless track drive members integrally interconnected with said first and second lateral frictional drive faces and located above said first and second lateral frictional drive faces when said endless drive track is in contact with the ground, each said drive member including third and fourth lateral frictional drive faces on said first and second lateral sides of said endless drive track, respectively, said third and fourth lateral frictional drive faces intersecting respectively with said first and second lateral frictional drive faces at first and second obtuse angles.   
     
     
       19. The endless drive track of claim 18, further comprising grooves formed between said drive members and through upper portions of said first and second lateral frictional drive faces. 
     
     
       20. An endless track drive system comprising: a plurality of polymeric endless track drive members each having at least one lateral side, said lateral side including first and second lateral frictional drive faces which intersect one another at an obtuse angle;   means for connecting said drive members to one another to form an endless drive track; and   a drive wheel for driving said endless drive track, said drive wheel including a first drive surface for frictional engagement with said first lateral frictional drive face, and a second drive surface for frictional engagement with said second lateral frictional drive face.   
     
     
       21. The endless track drive system of claim 20, said first lateral frictional drive face being positioned below said second lateral frictional drive face when said each drive member is in contact with the ground. 
     
     
       22. The endless track drive system of claim 20, said drive wheel including a plurality of first drive surfaces and a plurality of second drive surfaces, each said first drive surface being constructed to substantially match the slope and shape of said first lateral frictional drive face of each said drive member for frictional engagement therewith, and each said second drive surface being constructed to substantially match the slope and shape of said second lateral frictional drive face of each said drive member for frictional engagement therewith. 
     
     
       23. The endless track drive system of claim 20, further comprising sprocket means for further driving said drive members. 
     
     
       24. The endless track drive system of claim 20, further comprising scraper means for scraping dirt and debris from said endless drive track, said scraper means being shaped to conform to a transverse profile of said drive members. 
     
     
       25. The endless track drive system of claim 24, said scraper means including means for simultaneously scraping dirt and debris from said drive wheel and said endless drive track, portions of said scraper means being shaped to conform to transverse profiles of said drive wheel and said drive members. 
     
     
       26. An endless track drive system comprising: a plurality of polymeric endless track drive members each having at least two lateral sides, a first lateral side of each said drive member including first and third lateral frictional drive faces which intersect one another at a first obtuse angle, and a second lateral side of each said drive member including second and fourth lateral frictional drive faces which intersect one another at a second obtuse angle;   means for connecting said drive members to one another to form an endless drive track; and   a drive wheel for driving said endless drive track, said drive wheel including first and second drive surfaces for frictional engagement with said first and second frictional drive faces, and third and fourth drive surfaces for frictional engagement with said third and fourth lateral frictional drive faces.   
     
     
       27. The endless track drive system of claim 26, said first and second lateral frictional drive faces being positioned below said third and fourth lateral frictional drive faces when said each drive member is in contact with the ground. 
     
     
       28. The endless track drive system of claim 27, said second obtuse angle being equal to said first obtuse angle. 
     
     
       29. The endless track drive system of claim 26, said drive wheel including a plurality of first, second, third and fourth drive surfaces, each said first, second, third and fourth drive surface being constructed to substantially match the slope and shape of said first, second, third and fourth lateral frictional drive faces of each said drive member, respectively, for frictional engagement therewith. 
     
     
       30. The endless track drive system of claim 26, said drive wheel including first and second side portions and an axle portion connecting said first and second side portions, and each said drive member including an upper frictional drive face between said third and fourth lateral frictional drive faces, said axle portion of said drive wheel including a plurality of drive surfaces for frictional engagement with said upper frictional drive faces of said plurality of drive members. 
     
     
       31. The endless track drive system of claim 26, said drive wheel including first and second side portions and an axle portion connecting said first and second side portions, and each said drive member including an upper drive face between said third and fourth lateral frictional drive faces, said axle portion of said drive wheel including a sprocket shaped to substantially match and engage with said upper drive faces of said plurality of drive members.